LOST is an original Lapatutu fiction following Henry’s life journey. All characters, locations, and events in this work are fictional; any resemblance to real entities is entirely coincidental. [Click here if you missed Part 5]
The already famous Henry had just shattered another record. He had secured a job at a prominent media house while still in his final year of university—a feat almost unheard of amidst the nation’s dire unemployment. In a single moment of fate, he had come closer than ever before to the life he so desperately desired.
After this pivotal event, Henry learned something else: a subtle but profound lesson in the dynamics of power. While the students buzzed about his fateful encounter with Edmond Mwibetu, another topic dominated conversations, especially among the boys: the CEO’s stunning wife. It was unheard of for a man to openly and proudly have more than one wife, and yet Edmond made no effort to hide it.
From this, Henry understood something: a gorgeous woman was another visible emblem of power. This realization solidified quickly into a new goal. He immediately started looking around for a gorgeous girl to have by his side—not out of affection, but as another vital accessory in his rise to the top.
There was one particular girl whose beauty had made waves throughout the entire university: Agatha Munela. She was the daughter of millionaire Chade Munela, the Lead Pastor of Munela Ministries. As Henry delved into his research on her, he uncovered a less glamorous detail: her father had twice been involved in money laundering cases, though never convicted. This detail didn’t bother Henry at all. His assurance was that the rich were never wrong.
Armed with his charm, and his guaranteed job offer, he began his calculated pursuit of Agatha.
Agatha, however, was no easy target. Her reputation as the most beautiful girl on campus was matched only by her inaccessibility. Pursuing a degree in Fashion and Art, many students, and even some lecturers, had attempted to win her attention, all to no avail. With a millionaire father, she was certainly not moved by mere money. It was clear that winning her over would take far more than flashy gifts.
Every September, the university hosted an Art Exhibition, an event rarely attended by students outside the Fashion and Art faculty, primarily due to the perceived complexity of the displays. In the days leading up to the exhibition, Henry immersed himself in books and online resources, diligently reading about various art movements, renowned artists, and the specific pieces he knew would be on display.
On the day of the exhibition, he set out with one singular goal: to finally win over Agatha.
The air in the exhibition hall was hushed, broken only by the soft shuffling of feet and low whispers. Most eyes, including Henry’s, were drawn to the central display—a complex, thought-provoking piece that commanded the room. He walked over and stood next to it. Agatha was standing there as well, her head tilted, lost in a deep, almost spiritual admiration of the artwork.
He waited.
Then, his voice cut through the quiet, almost in a whisper.
“It’s amazing how Nimada brings out those feminist tones in her work.”
“I’m sorry?” Agatha responded, caught off guard and pulled abruptly from her thoughts.
“No, it’s okay,” Henry replied softly. “I’m just amazed at the way Nimada consistently weaves feminist tones into all her pieces.”
Agatha’s eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise. Claire Nimada was her favorite artist, a detail Henry had uncovered from her Facebook page.
“Many people don’t even know she’s a feminist!” Agatha said, a soft smile finally appearing on her lips.
“How can you not see that?” Henry countered, a look of deep concern on his face. “My name is Henry, by the way.”
“Oh yes, I know you,” she replied. “Edmond Mwibetu’s son!” she laughed, adding, “At least that’s what we call you.”
The sound of those words—Edmond Mwibetu’s son—was the greatest feeling Henry had ever experienced. Second to this was the realization that Agatha and her friends were not just aware of him, but actually talking about him. Third, and most crucially, he had finally found his entry point: a subtle, intellectual connection that money could never buy.
This encounter quickly blossomed into a relationship, and Henry was swift to spread the word around campus that he was dating Agatha Munela. Just as he had calculated, respect for him doubled, especially among the male students who had once vied for her attention.
For Henry, love and affection were not the focus; this entire endeavor was purely for power. He relished every bit of it, making sure to flood his Facebook page with pictures of them together.
But it was a relationship built on quicksand.
Here were two people at opposite ends of life’s spectrum. Henry desired nothing more than to acquire power and status, having grown up without them. Agatha, on the other hand, had grown up surrounded by that very power and status.
She had seen its pretentious effects firsthand and now desired a real, authentic life. This profound difference in their core desires made a collision inevitable.
Three months into their relationship, the cracks began to show. One afternoon, Agatha asked to meet Henry, unaware that he was already hosting his usual party crowd in his room.
“I have people here, but you can come and join us!” Henry said over the phone, showing no regard for her request.
It didn’t help that Agatha had just learned her father was implicated in yet another money laundering case. She desperately needed someone to talk to—someone who would prioritize her.
“Can you ask them to excuse you?” she asked, hoping to get his attention by insisting.
“Ah, no, that’s not possible,” Henry countered flatly. “The guys are here watching Olympus Has Fallen, and it just started.”
Agatha paused for a long moment, trying her best to hold back the tremor in her voice as tears rolled down her face. Perhaps it was the overwhelming weight of her family crisis, or maybe it was simply the breaking point of witnessing the pretentious life Henry so desperately lived, but the words came spilling out:
“You know those people aren’t there because they love you! It’s just for the free food and the TV!”
The words were like a dagger straight to Henry’s heart. How dare she! The audacity!
These weren’t just random students in his room; these were his people. He was their host, their provider, their king.
Agatha, he concluded, was being unreasonable and completely out of touch with the demands of his status. She just didn’t understand. Her emotional outburst was selfish—an attempt to undermine the very influence he had meticulously built. He was the one who had been wronged, unjustly attacked for upholding his kingly duties.
He switched off the phone without uttering another word. A deep, scorching anger burned inside him. Part of this fury stemmed from the undeniable measure of truth in her words, but he buried that thought quickly. He assured himself he had done nothing wrong.
That was the abrupt end of their relationship.
Over the weeks that followed, his focus shifted back to his true goals: making money and becoming Governor. Whenever the sting of her words returned, he would anchor himself in the memory of his moment with Edmond Mwibetu and the thunderous praise of the crowd.
Slowly, day by day, the anger faded.
Next week, Henry steps into the doors of A-Z FM under the mentorship of Edmond Mwibetu. He’s finally in the room with real power. Only time will tell whether his relentless ambition elevates him or suffocates him.
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